איבעית אימא הא דאפקריה באנפי תרין והא דאפקריה באפי תלתא דאמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יהוצדק כל המפקיר בפני שלשה הוי הפקר בפני שנים לא הוי הפקר

If you wish, say instead: That baraita, in which it is taught that the item does not leave the possession of the owner until it enters the possession of another, is referring to a case where one declared it ownerless before two people; and this baraita, in which it is taught that the item is ownerless when it is declared ownerless, is referring to a case where one declared it ownerless before three people. As Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak: With regard to anyone who declares an item ownerless before three people, that item is ownerless; if he does so before two people, it is not ownerless.

ורבי יהושע בן לוי אמר דבר תורה אפילו באחד הוי הפקר ומה טעם אמרו בשלשה כדי שיהא אחד זוכה ושנים מעידין

And Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: By Torah law, even with one person, the item is ownerless, and what is the reason that the Sages said that ownerless status must be declared with three people? It is so that one will take possession of the item and two will testify that the item was declared ownerless and that it was acquired by that person. It is not a requirement fundamental to the declaration of ownerless status.

הדרן עלך אין בין המודר